By Bob Wilson: KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Justin Henderson and John Kearney captured feature events at Knoxville Raceway Saturday night. For Henderson it was his second in a row. For Kearney it was his 22nd career win at this central Iowa racing facility during night number three of Knoxville Championship Cup Series.
On a track which had seen too much rain during the previous twenty-four hours, a narrow groove developed on an amazingly fast half-mile oval. Thus, passing was at a minimum on this evening as thirty-three 410s and thirty-seven 360s vied for top honors.
Henderson, who started on the front row, slid beneath fellow front row starter Calvin Landis in turn one of the start of the race and paced the field of 24 down the back chute. Landis stayed with the second generation driver as Danny Lasoski followed in third. At the end of five laps Henderson could only muster a five car-length advantage.
With the racing surface so narrow, very little passing was taking place up front. One driver who was on the move was Mark Dobmeier. Having started eighth, the Grand Forks, North Dakota driver began to move steadily forward while having the left side of his top wing panel collapsing.
At the five-mile mark, Landis was challenging Henderson and right behind that duo Dobmeier had picked off Lasoski as the front runners began entering lap traffic.
Coming out of turn two on lap fifteen, Dobmeier passed Landis for the runner-up spot as he began putting the heat on Henderson. The final five laps were worth the wait as Dobmeier and Henderson toured the half-mile oval working through backmarkers on the narrow track.
In the end, Henderson captured the ten-mile sprint in a non-stop race by a mere two car lengths over the Dobmeier advances. Lasoski was a close third. Completing the top five were Landis and Clint Garner. Jake Peters, Dusty Zomer, Dion Hindi (from 12th), Brooke Tatnell and Travis Cram (from 14th) rounded out the top ten finishers.
John Kearney rode a pole position start to lead all the way in the 360 winged-sprint feature. He grabbed the top spot immediately and was pressed by Joe Beaver who had shot to the runner-up position when the race went green by running above the cushion from his sixth starting spot.
Lap five saw the only caution of the event when Josh Higday stopped on the back chute with a damaged front end. At that same time Jay Russell exited the event also with car damage. The two had been running together at that point.
At the 10-lap mark Kearney had created a 10 car-length lead over Beaver with Ryan Roberts in tow for third. A clear track ahead enabled the Kearney & Sons Construction Maxim to sweep through the narrow turns unimpeded.
As Kearney took the checkered flag, he had just come upon the cars of lap traffic. Beaver and Roberts followed with Brett Mather and Russ Hall forming the top five. Tyler Thompson, Dustin Selvage, Jon Agan (from 17th), Eric Vander Ploeg and Matt Moro completed the top ten.
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
May 24, 2008
410 RESULTS
Time Trial, 1. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO, 15.142; 2. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD, 15.165; 3. Jack Dover, Springfield NE, 15.224; 4. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.229; 5. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN, 15.237; 6. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA, 15.265; 7. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD, 15.287; 8. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD, 15.294; 9. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD, 15.301; 10. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA, 15.308; 11. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. , 15.312; 12. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND, 15.321; 13. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA, 15.39; 14. Toni Lutar, White Rock, BC, Can. , 15.406; 15. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 15.429; 16. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM, 15.437; 17. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA, 15.454; 18. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA, 15.47; 19. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE, 15.477; 20. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE, 15.492; 21. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA, 15.503; 22. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO, 15.504; 23. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN, 15.51; 24. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR, 15.521; 25. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA, 15.521; 26. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA, 15.539; 27. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA, 15.564; 28. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA, 15.566; 29. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA, 15.571; 30. Kaylene Verville, (R) Avondale AZ, 15.843; 31. Scott Uttech, New Berlin WI, 15.953; 32. Bob Weuve, Newton IA, 15.992; 33. Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City IA, 16.012;
Heat 1, 8 laps, 2:05.8: 1. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 2. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA; 3. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 4. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 5. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 6. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 7. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 8. Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City IA; 9. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA;
Heat 2, 8 laps, 2:03.3: 1. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 2. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 3. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 4. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 5. Toni Lutar, White Rock, BC, Can. ; 6. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 7. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 8. Kaylene Verville, (R) Avondale AZ;
Heat 3, 8 laps, 2:06.6: 1. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 2. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 3. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. ; 4. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 5. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 6. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 7. Jack Dover, Springfield NE; 8. Scott Uttech, New Berlin WI;
Heat 4, 8 laps, 2:05.8: 1. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 2. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 3. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 4. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM; 5. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 6. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 7. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA; 8. Bob Weuve, Newton IA;
B Feature, 12 laps, 3:11.0 NEW TRACK RECORD: 1. Jack Dover, Springfield NE; 2. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 3. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 4. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 5. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 6. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 7. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 8. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 9. Scott Uttech, New Berlin WI; 10. Kaylene Verville, (R) Avondale AZ; 11. Bob Weuve, Newton IA; 12. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA;
A Feature, 20 laps, 5:30.5 (New Track Record): 1. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 2. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 3. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 4. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 5. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 6. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 8. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM; 9. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. ; 10. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 11. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 12. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 13. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 14. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA; 15. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 16. Toni Lutar, White Rock, BC, Can. ; 17. Jack Dover, Springfield NE; 18. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 19. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 20. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 21. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 22. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 23. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 24. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA. Lap Leader: Henderson 1-20
360 RESULTS
Heat 1, 7 laps, No Time: 1. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA; 2. Ryan Roberts, Aurora NE; 3. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 4. Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls SD; 5. Pete Crall, DeSoto KS; 6. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 7. Gregg Bakker, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Dan Thornburg, Des Moines IA; 9. RJ Johnson, (R) Tampa FL; 10. Tim Newman, Cameron MO;
Heat 2, 7 laps, 2:04.3: 1. Brett Mather, Ames IA; 2. Russ Hall, Des Moines IA; 3. Dave Hall, Des Moines IA; 4. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA; 5. Jon Agan, Knoxville IA; 6. John Hall, Marion IA; 7. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 9. Mallory Armfield, St. Joseph MO;
Heat 3, 7 laps, No Time: 1. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 2. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 3. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA; 4. Frankie Heimbaugh, Indianola IA; 5. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA; 6. Terry Alexander, Knoxville IA; 7. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 8. Tony Moro, Polk City IA; 9. CJ Houseman, Norwalk IA;
Heat 4, 7 laps, 1:56.0: 1. Jay Russell, Elwood KS; 2. Eric Vanderploeg, Altoona IA; 3. Tyler Thompson, Des Moines IA; 4. Nick Eastin, West Burlington IA; 5. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 6. Jesse Giannetto, Palo IA; 7. Cody Petersen, (R) Hermosa SD; 8. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN; 9. Kyle Bellm, Nixon MO;
B Feature, 10 laps, 3:11.0 NEW TRACK RECORD: 1. Jon Agan, Knoxville IA; 2. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 3. Nick Eastin, West Burlington IA; 4. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA; 5. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 6. Jesse Giannetto, Palo IA; 7. Gregg Bakker, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 9. Dan Thornburg, Des Moines IA; 10. Cody Petersen, (R) Hermosa SD; 11. Butch Hanssen, Sioux Falls SD; 12. Terry Alexander, Knoxville IA; 13. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 14. RJ Johnson, (R) Tampa FL; 15. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN; 16. Kyle Bellm, Nixon MO; 17. Tony Moro, Polk City IA; 18. John Hall, Marion IA; 19. Mallory Armfield, St. Joseph MO; 20. CJ Houseman, Norwalk IA; 21. Tim Newman, Cameron MO;
A Feature, 15 laps, No Time: 1. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 2. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 3. Ryan Roberts, Aurora NE; 4. Brett Mather, Ames IA; 5. Russ Hall, Des Moines IA; 6. Tyler Thompson, Des Moines IA; 7. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA; 8. Jon Agan, Knoxville IA; 9. Eric Vanderploeg, Altoona IA; 10. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA; 11. Pete Crall, DeSoto KS; 12. Frankie Heimbaugh, Indianola IA; 13. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 14. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA; 15. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 16. Nick Eastin, West Burlington IA; 17. Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls SD; 18. Dave Hall, Des Moines IA; 19. Jay Russell, Elwood KS; 20. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA. Lap Leader: Kearney 1-15